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Show Publisher comments on love at Christmas In the midst of tinsel, ribbon, wrapping paper, and the exciting things of Christmas time, there has grown within me a great love for my famiry and friends. I have paused and found myself thinking of how much love I have for my parents; my family; my wife, Mary and my children, Brooke and Cody. Love has always been abundant in my life and Christmas time always seems to be the essence of that love. Why is Christmas the essence of love? During Christmas we reflect upon the many enjoyable times and the many difficult experiences we have shared over the years. Yet all of those experiences have made Christmas and life very special to me, and I don't believe that I'm unique. Each of you have those same feelings. And that is why Christmas is special to you and your family in its own way. We share a kinship with each other. Each family has had many of the same experiences.. .the loss of a loved one, the traumatic excitement of children growing and learning. The day when the first son or daughter leaves home. The months and years that are spent in preparation for their new lives. The advice and counsel which have been given with so much love. The partings accompanied by tears, and afterwards the void that is so hard to fill. Yet each time they have been given and shared, in concern and love. It must be like our Father in Heaven felt when one of his own was to leave. How many years of counsel, advice and instruction had been given? What would you say to a son who must endure what was in store for his son. , As the hours drew near to the time of parting, how his heart must have ached to know the hardships, cruelty and unhappiness that he was sending his son into. Did he linger just a bit? Were there tears of sorrow for the emptiness? Did he await to hear from his son? Did he want to step in and protect his son from the cruely of the human race? But through it all both Christ and his Father endured and triumphed, and it is that promise of hope, that triumph of sacrifice, and unquestioning love that we will celebrate this Christmas as others have for some 1981 years. These ideals are what make Christ our "eternal contemporary." How desparately we need more kindness and sympathy for all of mankind. Christ does not need to be brought up to date. We need to be brought up to date with him. Our hearts must be cleansed of hatreds, our minds must be opened with more facts and our spirits must be attuned to Christ. And if our hearts, minds and spirits are attuned to Christ, hatred will not be returned for hatred, greed for greed, inhamanity for inhumanity. 1?bmewhere the chain will be broken. Somewhere good will be returned or evil, love for hatred, confidence for mistrust and sympathetic inderstanding for prejudice. tjf In a world of darkness this is the light that shines. This is the light that points the way to true peace. And true peace is what good men and women are praying and hoping for this Christmas night. Merry Christmas. Michael N. Stansfield |
